The American Institute of Stress estimates that nearly 83% of U.S. employees suffer from work-related stress. That means millions of us spend our days burnt out and fatigued, with little to no quality sleep.
If you leave workplace stress untreated, it can quickly spill into every area of your life. Your productivity suffers, and your physical and mental health declines.
While it can feel like you’re stuck in quicksand with no solution in sight, exercise can be your solution. It’s actually a great, clinically supported tool for relieving stress. Dive in to learn about the best exercises for workplace stress, the science behind them, and how Brain-Body Therapy can help you (or your employees) on this journey.
Key Takeaways
- Workplace stress and anxiety affect over 83% of American workers, reducing productivity, increasing absenteeism, and contributing to long-term physical and mental health conditions when left unaddressed.
- Exercise is one of the most clinically supported tools for managing workplace stress, lowering cortisol and adrenaline while boosting serotonin and dopamine.
- Brain-Body Therapy’s app-based programs give employees a structured, at-home exercise routine specifically designed to reduce stress and anxiety symptoms.
Why Does Work Cause Significant Stress?
Work is the thing that puts food on your table, so it’s natural to be stressed about your performance. But constant workplace anxiety is typically due to one of these reasons:
- Heavy workload that exceeds your ability or resources to manage it
- Long working hours or constant overtime with little to no downtime
- Having to take on work that is outside of your job description
- Lack of support from colleagues or managers
- Workplace conflicts, discrimination, or exclusion
- Job insecurity
- Lack of growth opportunities within the workplace
- Poor working conditions, such as bad ventilation, lack of temperature control, or slow devices and internet
Impact of Workplace Stress on Mental Health and Well-Being
Constant workplace stress takes a toll on you, both psychologically and physiologically. If you downplay it as something that’s just part of the job, and don’t incorporate coping mechanisms for workplace stress, your long-term well-being declines.
Impact on Mental Health
Chronic workplace stress triggers an overproduction of cortisol, the stress hormone, which keeps you in a constant mode of fight or flight. Think of it as an engine that’s always on with no one to step on the brakes. When this happens, you feel emotionally and physically drained, anxious, depressed, and burnt out.
Prolonged workplace stress is also linked to cognitive decline. Research shows that when you’re always under pressure, your hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for memory and emotional regulation) actually shrinks. You’ll find it more difficult to remember things or emotionally regulate yourself, which, again, causes more stress.
Impact on Physical Health
On the physical front, workplace anxiety leads to restlessness, tension headaches, poor sleep, high blood pressure, gut issues, and a weakened immune system. It’s also linked to an increase in heart disease.
These changes will show up in your daily life as frequent illnesses, loss of productivity, decreased motivation, and a general disconnect from your relationships and hobbies.
How Can Employees Get Help for Their Workplace Stress or Anxiety?
Physical movement is one of the best strategies for relieving workplace stress because our minds and bodies are connected. Regular exercise lowers your baseline cortisol levels, which reduces your anxiety.
Most importantly, though, exercise puts your body under temporary physiological stress and then brings it back out, which helps your body adapt to stress. So, the next time you’re worried about a presentation, your body reacts more calmly instead of jumping into panic mode.
Physical activity also triggers the release of endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals that boost your mood and give you a sense of calmness. Even a short burst of activity can get rid of the tension stored in your muscles and help you sleep better. When you move, you’re literally blowing off steam in a healthy way.
Other benefits of exercise for workplace stress include better mental clarity and focus, distraction from spiraling thoughts, and higher energy levels.
How Brain-Body Therapy Helps Employees Relieve Workplace Anxiety
Brain-Body Therapy was founded by counselor Rio Wilson, who personally used physical movement to heal her mind, and was inspired to work with global fitness consultant Luke Lombardo to craft specific workout programs tailored to target depression and anxiety. The app’s basis is simple: physical movement plays a powerful role in healing the mind.
By incorporating specific exercises for anxiety with counseling-informed support, Brain-Body Therapy helps you work the stress out of your system. These anxiety workouts are designed to help you manage stress through a blend of moderate-intensity cardio and strength training. Over time, these workouts help your nervous system slow down and build resilience to workplace stress.
Brain-Body Therapy’s Zone 2 Exercises for Workplace Stress
Each structured Zone 2 workplace anxiety exercise session lasts 45 minutes and begins with a check-in. Then, a counseling-inspired theme is introduced through s short video.
After your workout, you can take stock of your mental and physical state and compare how you feel.
The final counseling-informed guidance video brings the session to a close, helping you settle into a calmer state of mind.
Accessible Workouts
Even if this is your first physical movement in months, that’s completely okay. Brain-Body Therapy’s exercises for workplace anxiety are beginner-friendly. The program gradually increases in intensity, so you’ll never be pushed beyond your physical limits.
A Natural Progression for Long-Term Stress Management
As you progress, the Zone 2 program introduces new types of movement, such as yoga and therapeutic exercises like breathing and mindfulness to help you build long-term resilience against workplace anxiety.
Start moving to stop stressing. Sign up for Brain-Body Therapy’s Zone 2 workouts for anxiety to harness the mind-body connection for relief from workplace stress.
At-Home Workouts for Workplace Stress and Anxiety Help
The best coping exercises for dealing with high anxiety in the workplace include a blend of cardio and strength training with mind-body practices like yoga, breathing exercises, and mindfulness.
A short burst of activity is far better than leading a fully sedentary lifestyle. The most important thing is to treat each workout session as a mandatory appointment that you have to keep.
Whether you’re at home or at the office, here are a few at-home exercises for workplace stress relief:
Cardio Exercises for Stress Relief in the Workplace
Any exercise that raises your heart rate (and keeps it elevated for a while) counts as cardio.
Some examples are:
- Brisk walking
- Running (yes, running on a treadmill counts!)
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Rowing
- Jumping rope
- Playing a sport, such as tennis or basketball
Short on time? Pick one type of cardio workout and do it for at least 10 minutes. Repeat 3x throughout the day. You can go up and down the stairs at your office, walk from one end of the room to the other, or cycle during your lunch break.
Brain-Body Therapy’s anxiety workout program gives you the option of picking any type of cardio exercise you want, so you can choose a different one on each cardio day or stick with your favorite type.
Strength Training Workouts for Workplace Stress
Move away from your desk and do 10-15 reps of bodyweight exercises to build physical and emotional resilience to stress. These exercises require no equipment and can be done from anywhere:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Push-ups
- Jumping jacks
- Calf raises
- Wall sits
- Mountain climbers
You can also incorporate High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts into your schedule by cycling through all of the above-mentioned workouts in 10 minutes. Perform each workplace anxiety exercise at full intensity for 45 seconds with 15 seconds of rest between each workout.
Yoga and Mindfulness Exercises for Stress Relief in the Workplace
Mind-body practices such as yoga and mindfulness exercises for workplace stress physically calm you by activating your parasympathetic nervous system (also known as the rest-and-digest mode). As you progress through Brain-Body Therapy’s anxiety workout plan, you’ll see these exercises being introduced.
Here are some yoga asanas that you can practice to get rid of the tension accumulated in your body:
- Seated spinal twists
- Cat-cow pose
- Butterfly pose
- Child’s pose
- Seated forward bend
- Legs up the wall pose
- Corpse pose (which can be combined with some guided meditation)
Breathing Exercises for Workplace Stress
Breathing exercises for anxiety and stress relief in the workplace are simple and highly effective for targeting mental health. They can lower your body’s fight-or-flight response within minutes by signaling to your brain that you’re safe.
Here are some of the best breathing exercises for workplace stress:
- Box breathing: Inhale, hold your breath, exhale, and hold your breath again for 4 seconds each.
- Squeeze and release: Take a deep breath through your nose, squeeze all your muscles for 3 seconds, then exhale while releasing the tension.
- Humming bee breath: Inhale deeply and make a loud humming noise (while keeping your mouth closed) for as long as you exhale.
How Can Employers Help Their Employees with Workplace Stress?
Whether you’re a stressed executive yourself, or a manager who has observed high levels of stress among your teammates, you should know that employee anxiety and burnout are a lose-lose situation.
When employees are under constant pressure, they get sick more often (increasing workplace absenteeism), make more mistakes or poor decisions due to fatigue, and aren’t as efficient as they could be. And all of this ends up affecting your bottom line.
Is There a Workout Program Employers Can Offer to Employees?
Simply put, employee stress is a business risk and a detriment to your colleagues you care about. But you can mitigate this risk with Brain-Body Therapy’s Zone 2 workouts for employee anxiety. Encourage your employees to incorporate Brain-Body Therapy’s workplace stress exercises throughout the day.
How? You can implement an organization-wide employee wellness initiative and dedicate a few short breaks to get your employees moving. Brain-Body Therapy’s exercises can be paused and resumed anytime during the day, making them ideal for this.
You can also offer meaningful perks (such as an extra day off) to employees who stay consistent with Brain-Body Therapy’s workplace anxiety exercises.
Mitigate business risk by protecting your employees’ health. Put that concern into action with Brain-Body Therapy’s structured workout programs.
Use the Power of Physical Movement to Reduce Workplace Stress
When workplace stress is tiring you out, exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing. But once you start moving your body, you’ll notice the changes.
If taking the first step feels overwhelming, or you don’t know where to start, then Brain-Body Therapy’s structured workouts are designed for you. Our guided exercise programs help you start slow and build momentum.
Download Brain-Body Therapy on the App Store or Google Play to start feeling better mentally.
If you’re an employer looking to design a workplace wellness initiative with Brain-Body Therapy’s workouts, reach out to see how our custom programs can reduce employee stress at your workplace.
Workplace Stress & Anxiety Relief FAQs
What are the most common signs of workplace stress and anxiety in employees?
Common signs include difficulty concentrating, increased irritability, frequent absenteeism, physical complaints like headaches or fatigue, and withdrawal from colleagues.
Recognizing these early signs is the first step toward addressing stress before it escalates into burnout or long-term health issues.
Can daily workout plans be tailored to support employees with depression?
Yes, Brain-Body Therapy has a dedicated workout program for people experiencing depression as well.
With a combination of Zone 3 cardio, strength training, and other exercises that help restore the brain’s chemical balance and grow and repair neural connections, it is a great, low-barrier-to-entry workout routine for employees facing depression.
What can employers do to help reduce stress and anxiety in the workplace?
Employers can reduce workplace stress by fostering a culture of open communication, offering flexible scheduling where possible, providing access to mental health resources, and encouraging regular breaks throughout the workday.
Simple structural changes, like reducing overload and clarifying expectations, can also significantly impact employee wellbeing.
How can employers use exercise programs to support employee mental health?
Offering access to structured exercise programs is an evidence-based investment in the workforce.
Brain-Body Therapy provides diagnosis-specific, app-based workout programs designed to reduce anxiety and stress. Employees can complete these workouts at home without needing gym access or equipment.
Why should employers prioritize mental health as part of their benefits package?
Untreated workplace stress costs U.S. employers an estimated $300 billion per year in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover.
Investing in mental health support is not just the right thing to do for employees. It is a measurable business decision that reduces costs and improves retention.
How does exercise specifically help with workplace stress and anxiety?
Exercise reduces the physiological stress response by lowering cortisol and adrenaline levels while triggering the release of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine.
Even moderate physical activity performed consistently can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms and improve focus, resilience, and emotional regulation over time.
